January is inevitably the cold, grey month that follows the festivities of Christmas. We want to hibernate, retreat into our homes in order to avoid the reality of ‘almost snow storms’, low skies and dark mornings. This means warming up your house and making the most of this time of year … and we have three simple ways to do this.

Lighting is Everything

Take a tip from the Scandinavians and light each room with as much natural and artificial light as possible. Rooms in your house will face different directions and be used at different times of day which makes it important to light according to function. Make as much use of the natural light as possible, most of which comes through the top portion of your window so pull the curtains back and allow the sunshine in but this will need to be replaced in the evenings by a good mix of lamps, ceiling lights and mellow candle light where possible.

Layer Up

Don’t be afraid to decorate up and down a room according to the season – just like you would yourself at this time of year. Pack away the cool cottons and bring out the wool rugs, cashmere throws and fur cushions adding the texture a room needs to warm up. It is all about creating cosy corners and versatile living areas. Rugs not only warm a cold floor but can be layered on top of fitted carpet to add pattern, colour and texture while cleverly anchoring groups of furniture. Don’t wait for Spring to come before decluttering, now is as good a time as any to start the year fresh with only the items you love. Spaces clear of clutter are as warm as those filled with furniture if you layer up rather than fill up your room.

Decorate for the Season

The quickest and easiest way to bring in a spot of colour to a room are plants and flowers. Fresh, changeable and readily available to lift any space, they will get us through until we can open the doors and get into the garden…

images 1 Bedroom 2 Daybed 3 Wool Blankets 4 Sitting Room 5 Flowers 6 Kitchen 7 Fireplace